In legal terms, loss of amenity refers to how your quality of life and ability to carry out everyday tasks have been adversely impacted by an injury sustained due to the negligent actions of someone else. Along with other parts of compensation, such as special damages that cover your financial losses, loss of amenity aims to compensate you for changes to your lifestyle caused by injury. The majority of personal injury claims, including accidents at work or in public places, will include compensation for loss of amenity.
Interested in pursuing a claim? One of our highly experienced solicitors can assist you with valuing loss of amenity and will handle all aspects of your claim with care throughout. We’ll never charge you for an initial consultation with our advisors, who can also answer any questions you might have about various legal terms. You can contact our team by:
- Calling on 0800 073 8801
- Clicking the live chat
- Filling in our online form
4.8Frequently Asked Questions
- What Is Meant By Loss Of Amenity?
- How Is Loss Of Amenity Measured?
- What Evidence Can Help Prove The Loss Of Amenity Value?
- Examples Of Loss Of Amenity In Personal Injury Claims
- Claim For Loss Of Amenity And Other Damages With Accident Claims
- Learn More
What Is Meant By Loss Of Amenity?
In a compensation claim, loss of amenity refers to how an injury caused by a negligent third party has reduced quality of life, contributed to a loss of enjoyment, and affected the ability to perform everyday activities. This loss specifically relates to the tasks, routines, and hobbies that you can no longer carry out as a direct result of your injury, such as:
- Taking part in hobbies, including gardening, knitting, playing music, and travelling.
- Engaging in sports, exercise, or other physically demanding activities that your injuries now prevent.
- Driving, going to the shops, or completing other essential day-to-day activities independently.
- Social interactions, encompassing meeting with friends, caring for children, or attending events like music concerts that you previously enjoyed.
- Loss of enjoyment arising from life-altering injuries like a loss of limbs, vision, or hearing.
Our advisors are also on hand if you would like to ask a question about the definition of loss of amenity.
How Is Loss Of Amenity Measured?
A loss of amenity is generally measured by assessing the type and severity of an injury, and how this directly affects your hobbies, quality of life, and lifestyle.
For instance, if you were particularly active before losing your leg after being hit by a drink driver, loss of amenity would consider the permanent nature of an amputation and aim to put a value on you no longer being able to play football, run marathons, or manage certain day-to-day tasks.
Similarly, if you played the drums as a hobby, a loss of amenity can consider the consequences that a crushing injury to your hand has on preventing you from continuing to play music.
In addition to your injuries, other influential factors in valuing a loss of amenity include your age, occupation, and life expectancy. Since a loss of amenity reflects the unique effects of an injury, its value varies from case to case.
Call or use the live chat to speak to an advisor today for further guidance on how loss of amenity is measured.
What Evidence Can Help Prove The Loss Of Amenity Value?
Photographs and videos documenting life before and after an injury are common forms of evidence that can help prove the loss of amenity value. Other evidence that may illustrate your life and lifestyle before the accident includes proof of membership in a club, certificates, or statements from family and friends. These statements can be collected by a solicitor if you provide your legal representative with contact details.
Anything that shows a hobby or life event you used to do before your injury or accident may be useful. Our advisors can help if you have a query about proving loss of amenity value via evidence.
Examples Of Loss Of Amenity In Personal Injury Claims
An example of loss of amenity in personal injury claims is an individual who is no longer able to run marathons because they have sustained severe ankle damage as a result of a negligent third party’s actions. A loss of amenity might consider how the injury meant they had to stop training and taking part in marathons altogether.
Some more examples include:
- A part-time bowler for a local cricket team loses their arm in a work accident involving defective heavy machinery, leaving them unable to play the sport anymore.
- A passionate hiker, active in their walking community, slips on icy pavement in a busy part of town that was not gritted by the council despite advanced warning. They sustained a severe back injury, preventing them from continuing with their hobby.
- A cyclist has to stop riding completely and is left unable to perform household tasks when they are left partially paralysed after being hit by a speeding driver while stopped at a red traffic light.
All cases are individual, and you may still be able to claim if you experienced loss of amenity in a different way from these examples. Contact our advisor team to find out more.
Claim For Loss Of Amenity And Other Damages With Accident Claims
At Accident Claims, our solicitors can help you claim for loss of amenity and other damages using their legal expertise and experience to accurately value your compensation and build a strong, evidence-based case. Specifically, they can support you by:
- Negotiating the best settlement for your specific case.
- Explaining legal terms like loss of amenity.
- Advising you on and assisting you in collecting evidence, including documenting any impact on day-to-day life.
- Speaking to all relevant parties involved in the claim.
- Arranging an independent medical assessment to assist with valuing the loss of amenity and strengthening your claim.
Moreover, with our solicitors, you can claim using a No Win No Fee arrangement called a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This type of agreement is extremely beneficial for those who want to focus on their recovery, as:
- You pay nothing in immediate service fees to start your claim
- There are no ongoing service fees charged while your case progresses
- Your solicitor does not require any service fees if they do not secure compensation for you
You will need to pay a success fee to your solicitor if your case wins. This is taken out of your compensation as a legally capped percentage, ensuring the bulk stays with you.
Contact Our Solicitors
Speak to an advisor about loss of amenity and see if you can pursue a personal injury claim by getting in touch below.
- Calling on 0800 073 8801
- Clicking the live chat
- Filling in our online form
Learn More
We’ve included some more of our related guides below.
- Discover more about road traffic accident claims.
- Read about slip, trip or fall at work claims.
- Browse our definition of the limitation period.
The links below will take you to external websites containing more relevant information.
- Learn about reportable incident types at work via the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
- Use this NHS tool to find mental health support for you or a loved one.
- Police guidance on when a road incident should be reported.
Please contact us to find out more about loss of amenity, and don’t hesitate to use our free consultation service to see if you can make a claim.